25 Short Stories
by MarcieMarmalade
Summary: (a part of the 100 Short Stories challenge) 25 tales of mini adventures, sentimental surprises, romantic moments, awkward conversations, and just downright silly and weird stuff that falls out of my brain.
1. 1-5

1. Stardust

Lilly smiled down at me, her black curls falling out of her bun due to the gravity.  
"Well are you coming up William Henry?" She asked in her usual smug-sounding chirp.  
I could feel the vertigo by simply looking UP at it. The roof of the Bate's home -or should I say mansion- seemed to tower over the rest of the houses on that block. I swallowed hard.  
"I don't think I can climb up, Lilly..."  
The older girl went into a fit of giggles, and I could feel a blush creeping up my neck.  
"You don't have to climb all the way up, you silly, stupid boy, just go to my bedroom window!"  
"Oh. Right."  
I felt foolish as I ran into the house, through the living room (where the doctor gave me an odd look from his perch on the overstuffed sofa), and up the stairs (nearly knocking over a maid carrying a basket full of dirty laundry).  
I was breathing heavily by the time I reached Lilly's room, and almost had to drag myself to her window. I leaned against the sill, frowning when I didn't see her face peaking in at me. I opened up the window, feeling the warm summer air blow into my face once again. Suddenly, I felt a yank on my shirt collar, and I cried out as I was firmly pulled onto the roof. I quickly looked towards my assailant, only to see Lilly's dazzling blue eyes. She beamed.  
"Well, isn't the view just PERFECT?" She asked.  
I looked down, a wave of nausea coming over me.  
"I meant over here!" Lilly groaned, tipping my head up firmly.  
The skyline of the city was clearly visible from high up, sparkling and beautiful in the low evening light. I felt the same wonder that befell me on my first ride through the city, a kind of childish enchantment that filled me with pure joy.  
"Is it not lovely?"  
I looked over at Lilly, who wasn't looking back; she had her eyes glued to the city, her face full of as much wonder as my own.  
I simply nodded, and tried to slide myself into a better position. In that, I felt something grainy underneath my hand. Curious, I lifted my palm to discover it was now evenly coated in a golden dust. My eyebrows furrowed.  
"What's this?"  
The question had barely left my mouth before Lilly had my hand in her grasp. After thoroughly examining it, she placed it back down on the roof.  
"Stardust." She claimed.  
I held back a chuckle.  
"That doesn't exist, though."  
Lilly snorted. "It does up here. EVERYTHING exists up here. It's magic."  
"Your roof is magical?" I asked.  
The older girl laughed again.  
"William, I swear every time I see you, you get even more stupid!"  
She planted a kiss upon my cheek.

2. Power

"If you had a magical power, what would it be?"  
The question froze everyone at the table, except for Pellinore, who looked at Von Helrung in concern.  
"What kind of a question is THAT?" He asked, unable to keep the irritated tone out of his voice.  
His old master shrugged. "It was simply a hypothetical question."  
"I like it!" Beamed Lilly. "I for one would have the ability to fly, so I could see the whole city whenever I wanted! Not even this city, mind you, Paris, London, Vienna- I could fly to any city whenever I'd like."  
Von Helrung smiled, and looked at his other niece. "Emily?"  
Emily frowned thoughtfully, and placed down her fork. "I think I would shapeshift, be able to become anyone I wanted to be. I could become someone new every day. A librarian, a nurse, a farmer... endless possibilities."  
Pellinore suppressed a groan and placed his chin in his hand. How did their conversation become so ridiculous?  
"Will?"  
Will Henry looked up from his food. "I... don't know."  
He suddenly winced, possibly from Lilly kicking him under the table.  
"Alright, I... I think I would be very smart. So none of you could call me stupid anymore. And I would become an inventor; like Tesla or Edison, and make things that could change the world."  
The doctor looked over at his assistant, who gave him a half-hearted smile. "What about you, sir?"  
Pellinore shook his head. "That question is pointless."  
"That's why it's called a hypothetical question, _mein fruend_." Vol Helrung said gently.  
"...Fine." The Doctor sat up.  
"I would have the power of telepathy. I could call upon Will Henry in a way he could hear me every single time, so I won't have to strain my vocal chords."  
The whole table laughed, except Will, who had buried his face in his hands.

3. Dawn

Sunlight came through the small attic window, dancing upon the sheets of the bed.  
7 year old Pellinore stirred, moaning not only due to the sun beating down on his face, but a sinus headache that was causing the backs of his eyes to feel like they were slowly being crushed.  
With a grunt he sat up, stirring up the usual dust and cells that enjoy dancing in sunbeams.  
Smacking his lips, he peeked out the window. Though this only got him a view of the ally and the side of the house next door, to the far left he could see a man coming out of his store to shovel, and two boys about his age already out playing in the snow. A jealous feeling crept up on him, put was quickly pushed back by a fresh burst of pain in his head. Softly moaning, he laid back down, only to see his father leering over him.  
The man didn't tell him good morning, nor ask him how he slept, he simply pressed his hand against his son's forehead briefly.  
"Your fever's gone down." He said matter-of-factly.  
Pellinore nodded, and to his surprise, Alistair Warthrop sat down on the edge of the bed.  
"Your mother is making soup." His tone stayed pretty much the same, though an edge of softness had crept into it. "Would you like some?"  
Pellinore nodded again, then coughed into his elbow.  
Alistair patted his son on the leg before rising, nearly causing the boy to jump out of his skin.  
"Buck up Pellinore, a new day is dawning."

4. Waterlilies

It was a lovely Spring day, the kind of day where normal people did normal things. Ladies went out for walks with their gentledandies, while their children played stickball outside of their school houses.  
But not for Will Henry. He himself sat on a muddy bank, writing notes as his master observed a long, spiny fish he had yanked from the water a few minutes before.  
"Specimen appears to be a juvenile, and measures 10 inches long. It's teeth have not fully come in yet, though in the front..."  
The Doctor's monotone speech bored him (per usual), and Will found his eyes gravitating to the pond's surface. It was lovely, with the sun dancing on it. It almost looked like glass. A sudden plop caused his eyes to dart to a plant a frog had just jumped off of.  
A waterlily.  
Of course, this automatically pulled him into thoughts of Lillian Bates, with her sapphire eyes and knowing smile. Let alone her seemingly steam-powered mouth. But it was a lovely mouth, just across from his. Close enough to kiss.  
"Well, will you kiss me, William?" It giggled.  
Why yes! He leaned forward...  
"Will Henry, what the devil are you doing!?"  
The Doctor's voice pierced Will's thoughts, immediately causing him to topple into the water with a cry of surprise. He felt the notebook being ripped out of his hand, and he wiggled onto his back. A face loomed above his, though it wasn't the smiling one of Lillian Trumbl Bates, but the furious one of Pellinore Xavier Warthrop.  
"What was that?!" He boomed.  
_"I suppose this is how I die..."_ Will thought with dread.  
"L-Lilly, Sir." He stammered aloud. "She was in front of me, and wanted me to kiss her, so I tried, and... I'm sorry!"  
To Will's surprise, the Doctor's face mysteriously started to contort. He let out a light snort, his nose crinkled, and a smile seemed to be tugging at the corner of his mouth. Then, as if by the will of some mysterious force, he laughed.  
Will had never heard the Doctor laugh like this. Maybe a chuckle in passing, but it was usually dry or out of courtesy.  
This was a full on booming laugh, the kind that could bring a man to his knees and tears into his eyes. A laugh that Will would expect to hear from Meister Abraham, but never, EVER, Dr. Warthrop.  
Will expected him to stop, yell "FOOLED YOU!", then proceed to beat him over the head with the nearest blunt object.  
But he did not. He kept laughing, his hands on his knees, face beat red.  
People were starting to stare, some even laughing along with him.  
Will, however, stared dumbfounded at his hysterical master.  
Finally, the Doctor stopped, gasping for air.  
"It appears," he finally said "that I must keep you far away from waterlilies."

5. Pregnancy

Lilly was sitting in her room with the book her Uncle had given her, when a knock sounded from the door.  
"Yes?" She asked, quickly shoving the book under her pillow.  
The door opened a crack, revealing the face of her younger brother, Reginald.  
"May I come in?" He asked.  
"Of course!" Lilly said, an innocent smile forming on her face.  
Reggie walked in, shutting the door behind him. "I have a question."  
"What is it?"  
Lilly didn't even break a sweat. Someday she was going to be the world's greatest Monstrumologist, what question could she not answer?  
"Where do babies come from?"  
_Well._  
"...What?"  
"Where do babies come from?"  
"I heard you, but _what_!?"  
"I just want to know!" Whined Reggie.  
"Then ask Mother!" Lilly huffed. She knew the answer, of course, just she would be the last person you could ask to explain sex and birth to a small child.  
"I asked mother, then she told me to ask father, and he told me to ask the cook, who told me to ask you!"  
_"Those monsters, making me answer this!"_ Lilly thought bitterly.  
"Fine. Sit down, and I shall explain to you where babies come from."  
Reggie smiled and sat crossed legged on the floor, his hands folded in his lap.  
Lilly could NEVER tell him the truth, not at this age.  
So she, God forgive her, would lie.  
Yes! The perfect plan!  
"Well, when a man and a woman fall in love and get married, and they want to have a child, they must wire a Doctor."  
"A Doctor? Like Doctor Warthrop?"  
"No, a medical Doctor named... Rigby. Who lives in Spain."  
"What does he do?"  
"Well, when he gets the telegram, he asks for a letter explaining in detail what kind of child they want. Then once he gets the letter, he makes it."  
"How does he make the baby?"  
Lilly thought for a second. How WOULD one create a child without having sex?  
"He... he makes mechanical children!"  
Reggie gasped. "Really?!"  
"Yes! He makes a mechanical child, covers it with skin and hair, then sends it to the parents!"  
"...Does that mean I'm mechanical?"  
Lilly resisted the urge to laugh. "Yes. You are a mechanical boy."  
Reggie looked shocked. "Is EVERYONE mechanical!?"  
"Yes! You and I, mother and father, Uncle and the cook, Dr. Warthrop and William Henry, even the President! All of them are mechanical."  
"But how does he make so many mechanical people?!" Her brother looked frantic at this point.  
"He's immortal. He's immortal so he can make mechanical people forever."  
Reggie sat stone still for a moment, then promptly stood up and ran out of the room, crying "MOTHER, MOTHER, I'M A MECHANICAL BOY!"  
Lilly rolled around on her bed in a fit of laughter.


	2. 6-10

6. Books

The Doctor's library, as I recall, was extensive. It wasn't large, but it was full of books on Monstrumology, mythology, and medicine. As such, many of the books were non-fiction, but there's one I remember vividly. Although I was young at the time, I will never forget the when I first stepped into the Doctor's library. To a 5 year old, it seemed gigantic, the walls stretched into space, the books piled un top of one another in the millions, and the desk against the far wall seemed so puny compared to it's literary company. And I don't know why, but the first book I touched was a compilation of Edgar Allen Poe's works. The words meant nothing to me back then, and still don't now. For no matter how many times I passed it, I never read it. I never even asked to. It was simply there, but the Doctor never asked me to fetch it. He didn't even seem to acknowledge its existence. It just sat there, on the bottom of the bookshelf closest to the door, calling for someone to pick it up. But whether I regret never doing so, I can't even remember.

7. Old

"Your Uncle is getting old." Will Henry said to Lilly Bates one Autumn morning.  
She scoffed. "Nonsense! My Uncle may be old, but he is not _getting_ old. He can still do anything."  
"Well it's not like he's as limber as he used to be..." Will said softly.  
Lilly snorted and stood up, grabbing Will's wrist and pulling him down the stairs.  
"Wait... I didn't mean it! I take it back! Please don't hurt me..."  
Lilly pulled him into the living room, where her Uncle and Will's Doctor sat disscussing what seemed like Monstrumology, but could honestly bleed into anything (much to Pellinore's disdain).  
"William says you're getting old, Uncle!"  
Von Helrung chuckled, placing his tea on the coffee table. "Is that so?"  
"Yes!" Lilly exclaimed.  
The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "Von Helrung is just as capable as he was at YOUR age."  
"That's what I was saying!" Lilly cried.  
Von Helrung stood up, rubbing his knees. "Will Henry is right, I am growing old."  
Everyone seemed taken aback, even Will.  
"Nonsense, Meister Abram!" Said Pellinore.  
"Oh no, _mein frund_. I'm so old, I could keel over and die at any minute!"  
And with that, he collapsed to the floor.  
Lilly screamed, and Pellinore immediately jumped to his feet, spilling tea all over the sofa and his lap.  
Will simply stared, his face snow-white. Oh, how he regretted saying anything!  
Just as the Doctor was kneeling at Von Helrung's side, the old Monstrumologist sat up, laughing.  
"Oh, I gave you all quite a scare, didn't I?! I feel like John!"  
Pellinore glared at Will Henry, who got the message: One should NEVER tell a Monstrumologist that he is growing old.

8. Circle

"A circle, Will Henry, I said a CIRCLE!"  
"But this IS a circle, Lilly!"  
"No, you idiot, that's an OVAL!"  
Will sighed. This was a complete waste of salt anyway.  
"If we don't want to get possessed or haunted for eternity, it has to be a circle!"  
"Why are dead people so specific anyway!?" Cried Will in frustration.  
"Because they're dead and have nothing better to do! Now, circle, SNAP TO!"  
Great. Now she was becoming the Doctor!  
Lilly had the seance set up perfectly: A table covered in white cloth, set with candles at 4 different points. At the center was a page with letters on it. Her neighbor had said the spirit would move the glass set in its center to spell out its response. I was the best way to preform a seance when you lacked a medium. She had also heard that you had to surround the summoning area with a circle of salt, which her friend seemed to be terrible at.  
"Now it looks like a deformed polygon."  
Will threw the salt down in frustration. "What does it matter, ghosts don't exist anyway!"  
Lilly scoffed. "Fine! Become possessed by an evil spirit for all I care! But when it launches you out the window, don't come calling for me!"  
Will glared at her, and she glared back.  
"If you're so good at making circles, do it yourself!"  
"I shall!"  
Lilly snatched the salt away and stepped carefully around the table, frowning when she couldn't make a circle.  
"See?" Snapped Will.  
Lilly frowned. "Well, I suppose it is very hard to make a circle around a square table that's pressed to the wall."

9. Sakura

Pellinore sneezed.  
Again.  
And again.  
So persistently, in fact, that his lover felt like plugging up his nostrils with a hankercheif and calling it a day.  
"What has you so sick?" She asked, turning to face him.  
"I don't know." He said, immediately sneezing again once he finished.  
Muriel rolled her eyes. This was going to be a pain in her arse.  
"Let me see your face, darling."  
Before Pellinore could respond, she had his face in her hands, and was closely examining it.  
"You seem to be being irritated by something."  
"Yes. A woman named Muriel Barnes."  
Muriel snorted and pushed him away. "I meant the air."  
"What of it?"  
"There's something in the air that's making fluids leak out of nearly every cavity in your face."  
Pellinore smiled. "Pollen, I should think. Now let's move along."  
Muriel shook her head. "Not until I find out what it is."  
The young Doctor rolled his eyes. "How did I ever end up with such a stubborn woman?"  
His lover laughed and kissed his cheek. "It appears you got lucky."  
She turned on her heel, scouring for any flower, bushel, or grass blade that could be causing her Pellinore to be sick. She HATED it when he was sick. Not because she felt sorry for him, so much that he whined. And it was quite hard to sleep next to a man who whined so much.  
She eventually came back with a handful of plants, but none that she held under his nose got a reaction. But then, something caught her eye.  
Cherry blossoms.  
They were standing next to a row of blooming cherry trees, each one blowing petals into the air at even the lightest breeze.  
Muriel plucked one and held it up to Pellinore.  
"How about this one?"  
He took it, holding it under his nose. "Alright, but I don't see how-"  
His words were cut off by a sneeze.  
"That's it!" Muriel chirped.  
Pellinore sighed and wiped a stray tear from under his eye. "Wonderful. Now may we continue?"  
The young woman furrowed her eyebrows, then grabbed his arm and pulled him across the street.  
"Yes," she said, taking his elbow. "we may continue."

10. Geisha

Reggie was absolutely fascinated by street performers. He loved to see jugglers, magicians, musicians, anybody who was willing to show their talent on a public street, really.  
But there were no street performers he loved more than the geishas. He could tell you that they came to the park every Sunday from 10am to 6pm, and they would do wonderful dances to beautiful music all day long. He admired everything about them: their clothes, their hair, their make-up. He even once got a hold of a stray slipper, and held onto it until he found the exact girl it belonged to. There were four, but he didn't know their names. All he knew of them was one wore pink, one wore purple, one wore green, and one wore orange. He loved them, but not because he fancied them. He loved them because he thought they were amazing, and looked up to them.  
And it was a warm Summer's day in 1992 that he decided he wanted to be a geisha.  
He announced this to a room that contained his parents, sister, and Uncle.  
His mother looked flustered.  
His sister looked amused.  
His Uncle smiled warmly.  
And his father promptly took him outside of the kitchen and clipped him on the ear.  
But the reactions of his family didn't stop Reggie; he went up to his Uncle's trusted friend the next Sunday evening, and said "Can you get me what a geisha wears?"  
Pellinore waved him off (he liked children about as much as he liked being shamed by someone other than himself), but told the boy he would "see what he can do" before going to Von Helrung and suggesting several mental care facilities.  
Reggie, however, got his way.  
He got slippers and a kimiko, which made him the happiest boy in all of New York.  
The less happy boys in New York got themselves to his level by kicking his arse.  
But he persisted, and got his make-up as well, which his sister proudly did.  
Mostly because she had Will Henry test the products first.  
"You're a geisha too!" Reggie had told him.  
By the time he was ready, it was January, but the geishas weren't there in Winter, so he had to wait until April.  
When April rolled around, he ran up to the geishas and said "I shall dance with you today!"  
The women were amused, and a bit befuddled by a BOY being a geisha, and corrected him that he would be a Taikomochi.  
If this was the modern age, he would've said "Whatever", but back then he just shrugged.  
And that is how Reggie Bates made his father have -figurative- stroke.  
And also became the first drag queen.


	3. 11-20

11. Nation

"Nation, we live in a perilous time. With the turn of the century approaching, what have we become? We nearly lost half of our country during the Civil War, because they wanted to keep people as salves. But this country is about freedom. If we're free, what about slaves? ALL slaves in should be free, every single negro should be equal to white men, just as women should be equal as well. Isn't THAT what America is all about? Shouldn't we ALL be free and equal? The answer is yes. Except murderers. Murderers can go get-"  
"Reginald!" Mr. Bates snapped. "Take off my suit this instant!"

12. Home

I don't usually like to sound sentimental. That was in the past, when I was a poet. Poets are the Kings of sentiment, they could turn scratching their finger into something that would make you weep in pity. There is one thing I allow myself to be sentimental about, however. Home. Contrary to popular belief, home is a state of mind. It is not a house, or a building. It is... an emotion. That's why people mostly say they FEEL at home. So, who do I have to feel at home with?  
I never felt at home with my parents, not even before my Mother died. I loved my Father dearly, but he tainted to air. He made me feel... uncomfortable, for lack of a better word. I didn't feel at home in boarding school, either. The other boys more or less ignored me, fearing they would catch whatever illness I had at the time, and for good reason, I suppose. It's not like I could make a social life even when I was healthy; most of that time was spent catching up on the work I missed when I was unwell. You can see a pattern forming here. I never felt at home with Von Helrung and John, even though they were my best friends. John was always mean to me, however, and Von Helrung was... well, Von Helrung. He was a Monstrumologist, and though he never wronged me in any way he was a social pariah with people, even in his own household. Then came Muriel, whom I loved with all my heart. Now, don't expect me to explain why I jumped off that bridge; I don't very well know myself. Nor did I ever truly forgive Muriel for her reaction. But, before then, we were happy. I was engrossed in my work, of course, but we were still fairly joyful until that point. Why did I not feel at home with her? This time, I do not have a reason. I simply... didn't. And I fear that even if I had ended up marrying her, I still would have felt that way. It's peculiar, but that was the way it was. Now, James. James was very close to my new home; but he wasn't that way. I did enjoy his company, his services were indispensable to me. He even saved my life once. But, he was not my home, and certainly not his wife. Oh, how she hated me! She thought it was a secret, but even in my own little universe I could sense her distaste. I technically stole her husband from her, after all. Now, after all I've been through, I do have a person I call home: Will Henry. Now, he may attest to you that we mutually hate each other, but that is not the case (at least in my mind). I cannot really say I love him, those words are a tad foreign to me, and though they carry so much emotional weight, I feel like "You are indispensable to me" has more so. Instead of expressing love, you're expressing need. That seems more important. And I need Will Henry. He is basically my bastard son. Though James and Sarah were his parents, I felt like a part of me sits with him somehow. Whether it was because I knew him since the minute he was born or not, it seems that way. He has stuck with me all this time. After Muriel and John perished, he was there, the one left. I do not have my parents, but I have him. You could argue I have Von Helrung as well, but when he dies, who will I still have left? Will Henry, of course. He is my home because all I have is him, and he knows that I am all **he** has. And that is why he is my home.

13. Fear

"Will Henry!" A voice hissed.  
I could feel a hand shaking my shoulder, and I groaned. My eyes blinked open to see the Doctor's face inches from mine, his eyes wild in a strange emotion... fear. He never allowed himself to fear things. He's claimed fear is his enemy!  
"Were you asleep?" He asked.  
There were a million sarcastic answers on the tip of my tongue, but if there was any time the Doctor could unleash a verbal lashing, it was this. So I simply nodded.  
He snorted. "I suppose you didn't hear the noise, then."  
Oh Lord, here we go with the bumps in the night. He heard them all the time, every two minutes I would get "Will Henry, did you hear that?!"  
I guess when you're half awake and used to living alone, every single noise is an intruder or other danger.  
"No Sir, I did not."  
"Well I heard it, clear as day. It sounded like a pot falling out of a cabinet!"  
"It was probably a mouse."  
"A mouse strong and intelligent enough to open up a cabinet and push a pot to the floor?"  
"A rat, then."  
The Monstrumologist let out a groan and threw the covers off of him.  
"No, you silly, stupid boy, it has to be a person!"  
"I doubt someone would rob us, Sir."  
"We have many gold coins, Will Henry. As well as much important research on Monstrumology..."  
He gasped and shot up. "Good God, what if someone is after my research!?"  
"I don't think anyone from town would want your research, Sir."  
"No, it's probably someone from Boston or New York."  
The Doctor pulled out his revolver. His eyes were wild with fear, but now determination as well.  
"Snap to, Will Henry, we have a thief to catch!"  
I looked at my watch, then slid out of the chair with a groan.

14. Life

Pellinore sighed and rested his chin on his hand. Where in God's name was James? He was supposed to be there an hour ago.  
"I am not getting any younger, Mr. Henry!" The Doctor said to no one.  
As if on cue, he heard the front door open and slam, and feet pound down the hallway.  
Pellinore stepped out of his study, nearly getting plowed over by James, who looked like he just witnessed an accident.  
"Dr. Warthrop!" He cried, grabbing his employer's shirt. "Sarah, she's in labor!"  
Pellinore recoiled. He was a Monstrumologist, not a midwife!  
"Take her to the hospital." He said calmly.  
"I would, but I don't have that kind of time! You are a Doctor, right?!"  
Well, he couldn't expect James not to know he had never delivered a child in his life, considering that he hadn't told the older man his true profession yet.  
"Alright, bring her in here."  
A wash of relief crossed James' face, and he rushed out the door, returning a few minutes later with Sarah.  
Pellinore braced himself for the laboring woman, knowing the amount of pain she was in would certainly affect the way she treated him.  
i.e, make it worse.  
She glared at him, insisting to James that she shouldn't didn't want to have that BASTARD deliver her child, but James brought her upstairs anyway.  
Bastard? Pellinore stiffened. This wouldn't be a pleasant experience, not even for the baby.  
Grabbing his field kit, he ran upstairs.  
James had laid Sarah down on the bed, and whether her face was contorted in pain or she was glaring at him, Pellinore couldn't tell.  
Her husband was wiping her forehead, saying soothing words, while she snapped and swore at him.  
It was like watching someone try to pet a rabid dog.  
Pellinore sighed and did his work, the time being blended by Sarah's screams, James' sweet nothings, and the sound of his own heartbeat.  
Then, the bundle of noise was broken by a cry. Not one from Sarah this time but from a baby... boy, as Pellinore noted.  
Throughout the 5 hours, the Doctor imagined himself tossing the baby to his mother, offering a congratulations, then retreating back to his study. But, something made him freeze. The baby had stopped crying, and was looking at him.  
Just... looking at him.  
Pellinore studied the the infant, with his father's blue eyes and mother's fair hair. He smiled as he saw the baby wasn't bald, and was almost tempted to dry the hair, so it would look like a chick's.  
His son would look like a baby chicken.  
Pellinore almost snorted at the thought.  
He was tugged back, however, by the snip of scissors as James cut the umbilical chord.  
"May I have my son?" He asked.  
_Oh._  
The reality of the situation crashed down upon Pellinore, and he handed James the baby with a quick apology.  
James smiled and traced a line over his son's face, before handing him to Sarah.  
"The laboring lady gets to pick the name." James said cheerfully.  
"William." She said softly. "Little William Henry."  
"What of his middle name?" Asked James.  
It took Pellinore a moment to realize the words were directed at him.  
"...James." He said.  
Sarah snorted, but his assistant smiled, and leaned down towards his wife and newborn son.  
"William James Henry, you're going to LOVE Pellinore Xavier Warthrop."

15. Trees

"I shall get to the top first!" Lilly proclaimed one day.  
They were sitting in the backyard, her and Will, next to a large maple tree that seemed to touch the sky at it's highest branches.  
Will, thinking of the time he had climbed that huge ice-coated evergreen, smiled. "No, that is going to be me."  
Lilly scoffed. "Was that a challenge?!"  
"Yes."  
The two teenagers sat in silence for a minute, until Lilly got up.  
"Alright. Winner gets the last bit of cocoa for hot chocolate, and the loser has to sit in horse dung for two minutes."  
"That doesn't seem very fair."  
Lilly touched her chin. "Chocolate as a reward and shit as a punishment? I think that's quite fair."  
Will rolled his eyes. "Fine. You have a deal."  
Lilly shook his hand, then within the blink of an eye had rolled up her skirts and climbed onto the first branch.  
Will stared at her for a second, the sight of her smooth, pale legs catching him off guard. He stumbled into the tree, came to his senses, and followed his friend's lead. Within the span of 30 minutes they were almost to the top, in a fair tie.  
Lilly had realized this and was scrambling to get there first, while Will calmly stepped his way up.  
He suddenly heard a cry. Lilly had slipped, and was dangling, desperately trying to pull herself back up onto the branch.  
Will side-stepped around the trunk, and stood on the branch causing her trouble.  
"You'd better not gloat about this!" She growled.  
"Who would I have to gloat to?"  
He pulled the girl up onto the branch.  
"For once it's not me saving YOUR arse." She sighed.  
"I honestly prefer it the other way around." Will shrugged.  
Lilly smiled.

16. Fairy

"OH, look, a fairy ring!"  
Pellinore suppressed a groan. He looked to his assistant, who watched Lilly Bates in a daze.  
Well he couldn't rely on Will around her...  
"There are no such things as faeries." Pellinore said evenly.  
Lilly looked at the Doctor and laughed. "There certainly are, you're just in denial."  
Will opened his mouth; and apparently it was to make a comment in Lilly's defense because he shut it as soon as Pellinore looked at him.  
"There is no physical evidence of their existence."  
"Well I have something. It's called faith." Lilly declared, as if she had just made an inarguable point.  
"I have something as well. It's called sanity."  
Will Henry twisted his face in an attempt not to laugh, and Lilly looked as if she wanted to stomp on his foot.  
"Fine, but when you find out they do indeed exist, don't gloat."  
The Doctor smiled. "I won't. Because it's not going to happen."  
Lilly glared at him, then Will, who gave her a look back.  
_"When I die, they shall dance upon my grave."_ Pellinore thought grimly.

17. Elf

Sergent Hawk sat across from the legendary Doctor Pellinore Warthrop- er, his son.  
But close enough, right?  
He knew his dear old mother would still have a mental breakdown if she saw him.  
_"OH, you're just as handsome as Alistair!_ she would gush, then feed him biscuits and pet that thick, tangled mane he called hair.  
That's how his mother always reacted to meeting the people she told stories of, though.  
But now this man, this dirty man across from him, was denying everything he had known to exist!  
Vampires? No.  
Werewolves? No.  
Zombies? No!  
Hell, even Wendigos -the very thing they were hunting for- didn't exist, according to the legendary Warthropian son!  
So now, he was trying to come up with one thing, AT LEAST ONE THING, his mother hadn't lied about.  
After a few minutes of deep thought, he came up with it.  
"Elves!" He blurted.  
The Warthropian son looked up from hands, irritation written in every line and peak in his face.  
"Pardon?"  
Hawk pulled up the courage that wasn't destroyed by the glare, and said "Elves. Real or no?"  
The Doctor scoffed. "Of COURSE they're not real! What do you think this is, a damned fairy tail?!"  
Hawk looked into the fire, disappointed once again by the man his mother would throw on a bed any day.  
He then imagined a proud, beautiful woman with pointed ears and long strawberry colored hair riding in on a black stallion. She scooped up Hawk, and stuck her tongue out at Warthrop before they rode off into the bitter Canadian night together.  
That's not what happened, obviously.  
But that's how he wanted it to be.

18. Story

What Martha saw when she walked into the kitchen nearly made her drop her tea.  
_Alistair, out of the basement and sitting at the table?!_  
Praise God!  
"Good morning, darling." She said, a smile brushing across her face.  
Alistair simply grunted, which was good enough for her.  
Mrs. Warthrop hustled across the small kitchen, grabbing a tin of scones she had picked up from the baker and setting it on the table.  
"Want one?"  
Alistair looked up from his book, and examined the raspberry pastries set before him. "I simply could not. They're your favorite."  
Martha smiled. "I think I could spare one."  
The Doctor snorted. "Are you kidding? You nearly cut Pellinore's hand off when he tried to take one of them."  
Mrs. Warthrop gave his arm a smack. "How dare you suggest I would hurt our son!"  
Her husband barely even acknowledged the blow. "I am merely stating a fact."  
Martha sighed and sat across from him, taking one of the scones.  
"Speaking of Pellinore," he continued "I think you should stop telling him stories."  
The Doctor's wife nearly choked on her pastry. "Pardon?!"  
"You heard what I said. No more stories. You're... you're giving him a misrepresentation of reality."  
Martha snorted. "You're full of shit, Alistair."  
"Physically impossible."  
Martha, being used to the brick wall that was the man she married, laughed.  
"What?" He asked.  
"It's a figure of speech, love."  
"I'm aware. I'm joking with you. But still, my point is he will grow up to be a dreamer."  
"What is so bad about being a dreamer? He will write poetry when he grows up."  
"Yes, and then never land a proper job, like mine."  
"As if Monstrumology is a proper job!"  
"Poetry isn't either. He will become impoverished."  
"Then he shall find a lovely impoverished woman and have many impoverished children."  
"Yes, and he shall name them My, Mother, Told, Me, Too, Many, and Stories."  
Martha burst out laughing. "You're being ridiculous, Alistair!"  
"Deep in your heart, you know it's the truth!"  
"Even so, then his life will become a story!"  
"Yes, a cautionary tale."  
"A tale none the less."  
"He, his wife, and their... 7 children shall live on the corner of the street. They'll probably roll cigarettes for a living!"  
"At least we shall get to see our grandchildren everyday."  
"Yes." Alistair cracked a small smile.  
"Their names will be awkward, though. "Mother, Mother stole my doll!" Then Mother will cry, "You tell stories!", and she shall say "okay!" then run off to tell her brother. Then Pellie and his wife will sit there and regret naming their children anything."  
The couple laughed loudly, attracting their son to the kitchen.  
Alistair quickly piped down, but Martha kept giggling.  
"What's so funny?" Asked Pellinore.  
"You, My, Mother, Told, Me, Too, Many, and Stories." Said his Father.  
Then his parents laughed once again.

19. Animals

"Sir, may I have a pet?"  
I didn't expect the question to shock the Monstrumologist as much as it did; he actually started, dropped his scalpel, and looked me dead in the eye.  
_"What?"_  
"...I would like a pet."  
"Whatever for?"  
"Well, I think it'd be good to have one."  
The Doctor let out a huff of breath. "What pet do you want, exactly?"  
"I was thinking of... a dog, perhaps?"  
"NO! Those things are so stupid and destructive, it would probably manage to knock over all of my specimen jars, eat their contents, vomit it all up, then eat that."  
"...How about a cat?"  
"It would just ignore you. Probably lay around the stairs all day, waiting for us to trip over it and break our necks. That's what happened to the woman across the street, remember? She tripped over her pet cat while walking downstairs, and snapped her neck like a twig."  
I sighed. Was this REALLY the game we were going to play?  
"A pig, then?"  
"They're disgusting. Once I saw one rolling around in manure. Would you like that as a pet, Will Henry? A pig covered in horse shit?"  
"No Sir... what about a goat?"  
"Those will eat anything! Eat us out of this house, no doubt."  
I was starting to get frustrated.  
"A horse?"  
"We have 3 of those!"  
"Yes, but they aren't pets!"  
"Yes they are!"  
"We use them for traveling!"  
"WILL HENRY, GO OUT AND LOVE YOUR PET HORSES, SNAP TO!"  
"FINE!"  
I stormed up the steps, stopping midway.  
Wait, what?  
I looked down at the Doctor, and I could swear I saw a smile on his face.

20. Emperor

"Citizens, this is a most honorary position, Emperor of the World. And for my first duty in this position, I shall make everybody equal under law! All skin tones, both sexes! Except murderers. Because they're bad."  
A knock pounded upon the door.  
Reggie sighed. "I'LL GIVE YOUR ROBE BACK IN FIVE MINUTES PAPA, LET IT GO!"


End file.
